Laundry articles having significant malodors is a problem that continues to face consumers.
People enjoy wearing garments that smell fresh and clean. Maintaining a full wardrobe that is populated with a sufficient number of garments that are fresh and clean can be a burden on many people because they are too busy to regularly spend their time taking care of their laundry and do not wish to pay for a service that will take care of their laundry. Further, many people have garments that comprise fabrics or appurtenances that may not be durable enough to withstand multiple wearing, washing, and drying cycles without a the appearance or function of the garment being degraded.
To compensate for these problems, many people wear garments multiple times before they launder the garment. In many circumstances, wearing a garment multiple times between washings or dry cleaning is fine. A shirt, pants, or skirt may be worn multiple times between washings if the garment has not picked up any visible stains, the person has not perspired appreciably, the person has not been in an environment having odiferous air such as a smoky environment, restaurant selling strong smelling foods, or the person has not contacted strongly smelling objects such as a pet. However, the typical experience for most people is that they do perspire, are in environments where strong odors are present, or come into contact with smelly pets and the like. So even if a person avoids acquiring a stain or smudge on their garment during wear, it is probable that the garment has picked up some odors during wear.
Sometimes laundered garments are stored in a closet for weeks or months prior to being worn. By the time the garment is worn, the scent of the garment acquired during laundering has worn off. Depending on the environment in which the garment is stored, the garment may have a neutral or no odor or may have a musty, moldy, stale malodor. The malodors associated with long term storage of garments can negatively impact the experience of the person, and those around her, who chooses to wear a garment that has been stored for an appreciable period of time.
A similar situation arises when a person wants to continue to wear an article of clothing that has been worn earlier in the day. For example, after getting off work, a person may want to go out with friends to a restaurant, pub, or movie. After wearing the clothing during the work day, the clothing may have a neutral or non-noticeable odor, or even worse may have an unattractive odor that was acquired during the course of the day. The neutral or even negative malodor can have a negative impact on the psyche of the wearer and form a negative impression upon the people around the wearer of such a garment.
Similar problems can be associated with storing laundry articles that have been worn. With wear, clothing can become sweaty and smelly. Prior to laundering, the soiled laundry article might be stored in a gym bag, trunk of the car, laundry hamper, or pile of clothing. Over time, the level of malodor can increase to a degree such that it becomes repulsive for the consumer and those around her. Further, the malodor may be experienced by the consumer when she handles the soiled laundry prior to washing.
Common malodors and sources thereof can include amine-based malodors (e.g. fish and urine), thiol and sulfide-based malodors (e.g. garlic and onion), C2-C12 carboxylic acid based malodors (e.g. body and pet odor), indole based malodors (e.g. fecal and bad breath), short chain fatty aldehyde based malodors (e.g. grease) and geosmin based malodors (e.g. mold/mildew). The typical technical approach for managing malodors is to apply a malodor reduction ingredient or to mask the malodor with perfume. Unfortunately, malodor control technologies typically cover up the malodor with a stronger scent and thus interfere with the scent of the perfumed or unperfumed laundry article that is treated with the malodor control technology. Thus, limited nature of the current malodor control technologies is constraining.
With these limitations in mind, there is a continuing unaddressed need for technologies for managing malodors in laundered and soiled laundry articles.